Share your stories about youth mental health

As part of our Kids in Crisis series on youth mental health, we are looking for youth, caregivers, professionals and advocates to submit their own stories in their own words.

By sharing personal stories with names and photos, we hope to bring mental health out of the shadows and inspire more young people to start conversations about it.

Submissions can address such questions as:

►When were you or your child first diagnosed with a mental illness? What was that moment like? How did you feel about it?

►When have you felt the worst about your mental illness, or someone else's? When have you felt the most optimistic? What made you feel those ways?

►How have you coped with mental illness, or helped someone else cope? What barriers have you faced, and what support do you wish you had?

►What new perspective have you gained on mental health through your own journey? What do you wish others understood?

Submissions can be written, recorded for audio or filmed. All submissions will be reviewed by editors and may be edited for length, accuracy, clarity and taste. They may run in print, online, and on our social media channels across the USA TODAY NETWORK.